Flexible Heat Pipe Cold Plate

The Naval Air Development Center is taking action to improve the reliability of aircraft flight control hydraulic actuators. Feedback and loop closure electronics are being mounted on the actuator, thereby eliminating numbers of electrical conductors between the actuator and the flight control computer. Methods for the electronics are required to help assure reliability. The Thermacore effort documented in this report investigated the feasibility of using heat pipe technology to thermally protect the flight critical actuator electronics. The cooling method investigated used a flexible heat pipe cold plate that interfaced with the integrally connected flexible hose to a nearby heat sink. The flexible section accommodates relative motion between the actuator and the heat sink. The successful Phase I work program first established the design requirements evaluated cold plate to actuator integration techniques conducted analysis to select the best heat pipe materialworking fluid system and concluded with the design, fabrication and testing of a flexible heat pipe cold plate assembly that integrates with the SMART aileron actuator being developed by H.R. Textron. The cold plate transferred over 60 watts. This power exceeded the 44.5 watt requirement.